Soapbox

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FWM Digital Bytes

Welcome to FWM Digital Bytes, where we round up all the biggest digital marketing and digital media news doing the rounds. This week, we look at the latest tablet technology to hit the market, discounts on Facebook advertising and why the Lady is going Gaga for Google+…

Tablets triumph at CES 20122012 will be the Year of the Tablet, if this week’s 2012 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas is anything to go by. No less than eight new tablet devices were on display at the renowned tech fare, with Fujitsu and Toshiba among the big-name electronics brands unveiling their latest wares. Some of the items are simply variations or upgrades on already existing technogy – products that are sleeker, slimmer and smoother than their predecessors – but many others boast significant leaps forwards for tablet devices.

The Fujitsu tablet is fully submersible and can survive being under-water for up to 30 minutes, while the Lenovo Ideapad YOGA is every bit as versitile as its name suggests. This product is a four-in-one that can switch from being a tablet to a laptop and back again. Most impressively, non-profit organisation One Latop Per Child, which aims to bring computing technology to developing countries, has created a product that can withstand extreme weather conditions and can be powered by solar energy or handcrank. The full list of tablets can be seen on Open Forum and pictures are available on Mashable. Which do you think is best?

Mobile shopping’s going placesIf you’re wondering why so many tablets are in production, look no further than new data from IBM. The tech company has revealed that purchases from mobile devices in December 2011 went up by 187% when compared to the same month in 2010. The new tablets on the market still have some way to go before they’ll be challenging Apple (whose iPhone and iPad are responsible for the first and second most mobile purchases) and Google (whose Android platform provides the third most), but it’s clear many are turning their back on their desktop PC and moving toward mobile devices. Andrew Jackson-Proes, enterprise marketing management leader for IBM UK and Ireland, said: “This Christmas shopping season has been characterised by consumers looking for deals and increasingly using their mobiles to shop online. The report demonstrates that retailers can really benefit from smarter commerce initiatives by meeting their customers’ expectations for offers and service via any device.”

Facebook offering ad discount?New research suggests that Facebook is offering a discount on adverts directing users to a brand’s Facebook page. The survey has been conducted by TBG and it reveals that brands who link their adverts to a Facebook page can expect a cost-per-click rate that’s around 45% less than they would get if they were linking to an external URL. The report also offers a breakdown of different sectors and the click-through-rate brands in those categories tend to achieve. The Food and Drink sector has the highest CTR, closely followed by Beauty and Fitness and Retail. Jobs and Education, News and Finance bring up the rear.

The Lady goes Gaga for Google+In our Digital 10 for 2012, we said digital agencies should start investigating the potential of Google+, which we believe is going to be huge this year. Well, it seems we’re not alone. Google+ recieved a big boost this week when Lady Gaga signed up to the platform, making her one of a number of pop stars who are gradually joining Google’s social circle. Of course, Gaga still has some way to go before she can match her 46.5million Facebook likes, and she’s even far behind Britney Spears, who became the first celebrity to win 1 million followers on Google+ last month, but it’s certainly a significant step for the search engine giant’s social wing. It’s also likely to be a boost for Lady Gaga, who as Danny Sullivan points out on Marketing Land, will now appear alongside Spears and her fellow G+ user Snoop Dogg in the ‘People and Places on Google+’ section of the SERPS. Increasingly it seems, a Google+ profile is a necessity for anyone looking to ensure visibility on the world’s biggest search engine.